Johnson County Artists to be Honored During Art Fest 2012 Oct 28 through Nov. 18 at Ernie Miller Nature Center

POSTED: 10/10/2012

The works of 38 Johnson County artists will be showcased during the eighth-annual Johnson County Art Fest exhibit opening Sunday, Oct. 28. The juried exhibition runs through Nov. 18 at the Ernie Miller Nature Center located at 909 N. Kansas 7 Highway, Olathe.

Sponsored by Johnston, Ballweg & Modrcin, LC, Johnson County Art Fest 2012 was open to all artists 21 years of age and older currently residing in Johnson County. In all, more than 210 entries were submitted by 81 artists for this year's show.

There is no admission charge to the exhibit which will be open for public viewing during the Nature Center’s regular hours: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The nature center will be closed on Nov. 12 in observance of Veterans Day.

To find this program in the JCPRD’s Activities catalog and online listings, browse first under fun for all and then under special events. In the catalog and when using the website’s advanced search, look for the keyword “art.”

Each year's exhibit features a creative assortment of artwork that includes paintings, ceramics, photography, and mixed media. Retail prizes for the selected pieces range from $90 to $5,000. All of the pieces are available for purchase.

Prizes and purchase awards for the show will total more than $4,000. Three artists will be selected to receive $1,000, $750, or $500, and at least $2,000 will be awarded for pieces purchased by the Johnson County Park & Recreation District for placement on permanent display in JCPRD administrative facilities.

Art Fest 2012 will be juried by Raechell Smith the chief curator and founding director of the H&R Block Foundation at the Kansas City Art Institute. The exhibit is made possible through the generous support of Johnston, Ballweg & Modrcin, LC. The exhibit’s Organizing Committee includes A.J. LoScalzo, Alberta McGrath, and Nancy Wallerstein.

Art Fest is a unique exhibition exclusively showcasing Johnson County artists. Initially presented in celebration of the county’s Sesquicentennial in 2005, Art Fest has continued as an annual tribute to the widely diverse talents of the many artists residing in Johnson County. For more information contact Randy Knight at (913) 894-3323.